Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS | FROM PAGE 13 “How do you use Front Door Pickup? To get started, go to our online catalog. Click on the green MY ACCOUNT button in the screen’s upper right. Login in to your account using your library card number and password, then simply place items on hold. How do you do that? Watch this video [https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=j0m7bB5HyA0&feature=youtu.be] for step by step instructions. “Once we notify you that your items are ready, call us at 781-231-4168 ext. 3102 to set a pickup date. Or you can call us at the same number to reserve up to three items over the phone. “Either way, you must make an appointment to pickup once your items are ready. Call us to set a pickup date at 781-231-4168 ext. 3102. “Please leave a voicemail if you don’t get through. We’ll return your call and set a pickup day as soon as we can.” Buy a brick to honor your vets “Veterans Buy-a-Brick Program. Due to the low number of orders and the uncertainty of how a Veterans Day ceremony will be allowed, the program will be extended until May. The installation of bricks will be during the Memorial Day ceremony. We will be contacting the people who have already purchased a brick. Any questions, please call 781-231-7995.” Helping the Vet During these challenging times, your local Veterans’ Service Officers (VSOs) would like to share some information on a benefit program that is available to those who qualify. If you are a Veteran or the surviving spouse of a Veteran, the “Chapter 115 Benefits Program” is a Massachusetts state initiative that provides financial aid for Veterans and/or their surviving spouses who reside in Massachusetts and meet certain income and asset guidelines. Benefits may include monthly ordinary benefits and/or payment/reimbursement for medical expenses. Whether laid off, in transition or living on a fixed income, the program is designed to provide short-term or long-term assistance as needed to provide relief. The program is overseen by the Massachusetts Department Veterans’ Services (DVS), which runs the program in partnership with local VSOs. Every town or district in Massachusetts has a VSO. VSOs assist Veterans and their dependents in learning about, applying for and receiving Chapter 115 benefits. VSOs can also help you in applying for other benefits and connecting with local resources. Your local VSO handles applications, obtains program approval from DVS and provides local benefits. The program is funded by a combination of state and local funds. DVS pays for 75% and your city or town pays for 25% of the approved benefits. There are income and asset limits for the program. As a general rule, income and asset requirements are: Family of one – monthly income less than $2,081and an asset limit of $5,000; family of two – monthly income less than $2,818 and an asset limit of $9,800 To determine if you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Chapter 115 program, visit the following link and follow the instructions – https:// massvetben.org/ – or call your local VSO for more information. The VSOs are able to help Veterans apply for Federal VA benefits and local benefits and provide food assistance monthly. For example, did you know that if you own a home and have a VA service–connected disability, you are eligible for a partial or full exemption of your property taxes? “Please contact your local Veterans’ Service Officer for more information on any of the services mentioned. We are all here to assist. We are regularly checking voicemails and emails as we continue to work remotely and in our offices throughout COVID-19.” Melrose: Karen Burke, 781-979-4186, kburke@cityofmelrose.org Wakefield: David Mangan, 781-246-6377, dmangan@wakefield.ma.us Saugus: Jay Pinette, 781-231-4010, jpinette@saugus-ma.gov A Beetlejuice benefit tonight at Kowloon Restaurant The Kowloon Restaurant, which is owned and operated by the Wong family, is set to host the movie “Beetlejuice” in a Halloween benefit for Winter Walk, a philanthropic organization that raises awareness and funds in an effort to end homelessness in Greater Boston. The event – hosted by Sue Brady Hartigan (Boston radio talent and Winter Walk Event Committee) – is set for today (Friday, Oct. 30). Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and movie time is at 7 p.m. at Kowloon Restaurant, Route 1 North in Saugus. Admission is $75 per parking spot (for up to six people) and $50 per table (for up to four people). Guests can bring their own blankets and lawn chairs for the turf area. The movie is shown in the outdoor dining area and is socially distanced. Guests are invited to dress up in costume for Halloween, and the most creative costume wins a prize. Winter Walk – founded by Paul English (Kayak co-founder & CEO of Lola) – raises awareness and funds toward an end to homelessness in Greater Boston. Winter Walk is a two-mile walk which begins at and ends on Copley Plaza. Participants, housed and homeless, will walk together and hear real stories of Boston’s homeless population. The 2021 Winter Walk – presented with Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan (BMCHP) – is set for both a live and virtual event on Sunday, February 7, 2021. Let’s hear it! Got an idea, passing thought or gripe you would like to share with The Saugus Advocate? I’m always interested in your feedback. It’s been more than four and a half years since I began work at The Saugus Advocate. I’m always interested in hearing readers’ suggestions for possible stories or good candidates for “The Advocate Asks” interview of the week. Feel free to email me at mvoge@comcast.net. Do you have some interesting views on an issue that you want to express to the community? Submit your idea. If I like it, we can meet for a 15- to 20-minute interview while practicing social distancing outside a local coffee shop. And I’ll buy the coffee. Or, if you prefer to be interviewed from the safety of your home on the phone or via email, I will provide that option to you as the nation copes with the Coronavirus crisis. World Series Park creates GoFundMe account to raise funds for lights (Editor’s Note: This info is from a press release issued this week by World Series Park.) W orld Series Park in Saugus plans to have lights installed in the spring of 2021. This would complete the park by its being able to offer night games, never having to stop games because of darkness, and the flexibility of rescheduling rainouts. Most of the funds needed for this project will be available next year. A fundraising effort will be conducted during the next six months to raise additional funds. To assist in making this happen, World Series Park has set up a GoFundMe Charity account. People can make donations by going to the World Series Park website, worldseriespark.net, and clicking on GoFundMe. Donations can still be made by mail. Donations are tax deductible. So far, $10,000 has been A BRIGHT FUTURE: Light poles will be added to World Series Park to increase the use of the park and provide more opportunity to play baseball in Saugus. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) raised toward the $100,000 goal. Those who donate $100 or more will have their name included on the permanent World Series Park Lighting Fund plaque that will be installed on the third base dugout. Donations can be made in memory or in honor of others. “This being our sixteenth season, we have been able to save our pennies over the past fifteen years, as well as pledges for more funds, to now be able financially to afford lights,” said World Series Park Superintendent Bob Davis. “Through the generosity of a lot of people and businesses World Series Park has financed everything we have in creating this first-class baseball facility for the youth of Saugus. We want to complete the picture with lights, still being financed by the World Series Park Committee,” said Davis. “As a result of the increased cost of the lighting equipment, we need to raise additional funds. We hope that the new technology of GoFundMe Charity will allow people to make donations easier. We thank everyone for their past and hopefully future generous donations.” To donate to the World Series Park Lighting Fund by mail, checks should be made payable to World Series Park and sent to World Series Park, 8 Holden Ave., Saugus, MA 01906. Please indicate that the donation is for the Lighting Fund.
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